Destiny Effect - The Taken Reaper War

[Raynar Saassin]

It was a new day on Earth. The Guardian known as Vortex-25 had returned to the tower after a Strike against the Cabal in the European Dead Zone; knocking out a powerful Cabal Arms Dealer. Returning after a successful mission, she was greeted by Ikora Rey.

"Miss Ikora, I wasn't expecting---"
"For me to welcome you back? I have been given disturbing reports from my followers in the Hidden that you need to see. If you'll please."
"O-Of course."

Vortex-25 followed her down the hallway past the Gunsmith and towards one of the Balconies where she worked. Vortex-25's Ghost decided to come out and also see what Ikora had to present.

"Reports have been coming in from my Hidden that a Echo of Oryx has been located on Io."
"An Echo of Oryx? I thought after we killed Oryx for the second time that they'd all disappear."
"I don't understand it myself, but it has been gathering all the Taken on Io to a remote Cave System which extends into a Vex Portal Network. Whatever's going on down there, we want you to stop. Your Ghost already has the co-ordinates."
"We'll put a stop to it, Ikora. Right, Guardian?"
"Right. Oryx needs to learn to stay dead."

Without a moment's delay, the Guardian and her Ghost jumped into their Jumpship and blasted off for Io. A few hours in light-speed travel and they had eventually arrived and landed on the Moon's surface once more:

"So, where do we start?"
"I'm detecting Vex and Taken signatures over in that Cave over there. Let's get moving."
"Right."

Pulling out her primary weapon; the Nameless Midnight Scout Rifle, she sprinted over to the Cave and made her way inside. She could already see the extent of the Echo's presence within the cave; interdimensional goop all over the place and on the ceiling, tears between the real world and the Ascendant Plain. Stepping in carefully, they eventually delved deeper into the Cave, now coming across Vex Architecture and inactive Gates.

"No sign of the Echo yet... Are you sure this is the right place, Ghost?"
"Positive. The readings---"

That was when the Echo revealed itself behind of them; spawning itself in.

"Surrender your light... To me!"
"Guardian, we gotta move!"
"We can take this thing down! We've done it befor---"

The Ghost cut her off as it motioned to behind the Echo as numerous Taken Forces began coming out of the goop on the floor and dropping from the Ceiling in mass numbers.

"---Yeah, okay I'm going!"

Utilizing the quick speed of Hunters, Vortex-25 sprinted, parkour'd and evaded past corner after corner through hallway after hallway in an attempt to evade the extremely large and dangerous Taken army. Fleeing at quick speeds, she eventually came across a oddly coloured Vex Gate. Her Ghost began scanning it to find out why it was coloured this way.

"This Gate must of had it's link severed. It's active but we don't know where it will take us."
"Are there any other ways out?"
"Not that I can see. I'm afraid this is our only point of escape."
"Well, let's do it then. We have no choice."

With all said and done, and with little time, she jumped through the Vex Gate.

===========================================================================================

When she jumped through, she found she wasn't on Io anymore...

She landed right in the middle of Palaven's Moon, a location in the Mass Effect Universe. Looking around, there were blasts being fired everywhere including giant walking machines prowling about the area. It was... a very unusual place for them to appear.

"Where... are we?"
"I don't know... But this is one hell of a crazy place. Blasts everywhere, those unknown things walking about blasting everything, strange flying things..."
"Definitely doesn't look like anything I've ever seen."
"Wait, look over there!"

Vortex-25 exclaimed to her Ghost as she spotted some individuals at what looks like a Forward Camp. They spotted a human in armour and some others, meeting with what looked like humanoid aliens. They looked like they were talking with each other. Seeing them, Vortex-25 was thinking.

"Should we go and talk to them?"
"Why would we do that? We don't even know where we are!"
"Exactly. They can help us figure out what this place is, what those things walking around are, and how we can get back home!"
"...Sigh, fine. But if they shoot us, that's on you."
"I know."

After a reluctant agreement between her and her Ghost, she jumped down from a rocky cliff behind them and shouted in their general direction.

"Hey! You guys! Over there! Are you friendly!? Because nothing here looks friendly! At all!"
"(Why are we doing this again...)"

@Soverign​

 

[Soverign]

"I am sorry Commander i don't know who the primarch is. Last i saw his shuttle got hot down. The whole command structure is either missing or KIA. With so many dead its hard to tell who is the next primarch" Spoke Turian at the holotable. Commander Shepard nodded "What do you need?" The turian kept typing at the console in front of him getting data in "This camp is next to a com array. It went down after the security force guarding it was over run. We need that array back online o we can contact command. That's the only way we can determine who is the next primarch"

The commander nodded turning to his two compatriots. A blue female named Liara held a pistol at her waist. The second was also a Turian and his life long friend. The legendary sniper Garrus Vakarian. The battle scarred turian chuckled "C'mon Shepard. Like old times. Let's get these abominations off this moon" Shepard nodded and turned to head for the relay. In his mission to unite the galaxy only starting recently he had needed the Turians. But the Reaper had them so pinned down not even the biggest military was stopping them.

Looking back at Palaven he shook his head. Garrus had said the biggest burning section was his home. The city he was born in. It hurt like nothing else since he knew Earth suffered just as harshly. He had to unite whatever he could together. Then maybe....maybe there was a chance.

Looking out over the battlement he spotted a lone individual "Get over here! Now!" As if on Que the reapers dropped dozens of troops in closing in on the lone soldier. Shepard didn't recognize the armor style at all. But he gathered the Turian defenders and readied the barricade "Hold! Wait till they are in weapons range!" He aimed his rifle and hoped that whoever was out there got to him. They were in possibly the worst place imaginable.

​

 

[Raynar Saassin]

"I guess they couldn't hear us?"
"I'm not sure but in any case, let's keep goin---"

That was until a barrage of Reaper Forces landed near Vortex-25. The composition was a extremely large amount of Husks and Marauders; Reaper enslaved Turians. Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled out her Older Sister III Hand Cannon and got herself ready for combat when her Ghost from within her spoke.

"I don't feel a connection to the Light..."
"Does that mean we're powerless?!"
"I might be able to control our source of light in limited bursts, but I hope you can get used to not using your powers all the time."
"I can work with that. Now let's rock."

The Reaper Forces then attacked her! With Shepard and the Turian's watching, they'd bare witness to what the lone soldier was capable of. The Husks swarmed her position but she locked them in place. Utilising her Hand Cannon, she shot them one by one while dodging the Marauder fire. While the Husks weren't so much of a problem, the constant fire from an unknown force made things difficult alongside the clear fact that there wasn't much cover to go with. Popping heads off of Husks left-right and center, she had no trouble taking care of what they considered this world's equiviliant of the Hive. Finding cover behind a stump, she was now constantly surpressed by Marauder fire. Pulling out her Sniper Rifle; the Gentleman's Vagabond, every so often she'd peak and pop a head off of a Marauder before going back into cover.

"I don't know how much longer we can hold out..."
"Are you kidding me? I'm kicking their asses, Ghost---"

That was when a pack of Husks swarmed her rock. She had no choice but to utilise the power of her Light in order to deal with them. Shepard and his Turian allies would witness her jump three times into the air and create a dark purple looking bow out of nowhere in their hands and fire an arrow at the ground. This created a Vortex which latched onto all nearby enemies; Husks and Marauders and suppressed them; heavily slowing them and making them unable to fire.

"Perfect."

As she dropped down, she pulled out her Hand Cannon again and fired at everything that was suppressed. Soon, every Reaper combatant was dead in the area, leaving only the bodies, scorch marks and the lone soldier twidling her Hand Cannon about before putting it onto a Holster on her leg.

"You guys can come out now! Calvary's here. Although I hope you don't mind, I have LOADS of questions to ask."

@Soverign
​

 

[Soverign]

Shepard looked over the barricade and was dumbfounded. Not only was this warrior killing reapers with easy they were slaughtered outright. Ya he and his crew could cut them down well enough. But what she did was something like a joking dance of gun play. Dropping down from the wall Shepard made his way closer. Gun at the ready. War taught you many things. And to relax in a war zone was to invite a blindside.

After reaching the individual Shepard looked at her "I am Shepard. Commander of the Normandy. Though i would like to answer your questions i have a mission that needs doing. You help us i could answer everything i can. You in?" Normally such an unknown factor was a strange thing to invite into the group so suddenly. But having seen first hand her ability to put down reapers she could help with the search for the next primarch. Garrus leaned over keeping his eye on the Horizon "Shepard, he need to move. We are exposed" Nodding the commander looked at the warrior and pointed to an array station up a hill looking over the defending outpost "We need that station clear and repaired. We are heading there. Feel free to join us if ya want answers" He then turned and hurried.

Going from cover to cover he soon felt the shards of shots ping off his armor "Incoming!" Yelled Liara as she returned fire. The group of three were pinned but not defenseless. Liara focused a Bioticorb in her hand and launched it making a grenade like strike on a hiding duo of Marauders. The pair flew out in pieces. Husks charged down the hill and Shepard unloaded a full clip into the approaching horde. One dropped after half a dozen rounds to its chest only to be replaced by a more than eager twin. Garrus aimed and with extreme precision blew the heads off of husks, Marauder, and other reaper forms alike. However something new approached. The tank like form held the head of a Turian but its body was massive "What the hell is that!?" Gerrus demanded feeling insulted and enraged his kind were molded and twisted this way.

Gritting his teeth Shepard glared at it "Focus fire aim for the head!" all three aimed and in unison fired at the beast. Dozens of rounds pinged off it as it raised its massive right arm. It shielded it's face completely. Shepard motioned to move sideways spreading out to get better angles. Keeping it distracted he fired again trying to give his team time.

 

[Raynar Saassin]

"Of course I'm in. I basically have no choice in the matter, right?"

Vortex-25 exclaimed as she proceeded to follow them as they seemed to head towards a outpost of some kind in the distance over the hill. Seeing as that was their destination, she proceeded to follow them with her Nameless Midnight Scout Rifle in hand, ready for anything. She seemed to need it as attacks must be common around here. Once an attack came, she witnessed the one called Liara throw an orb of some kind which seemed to do the trick, all the while Shepard slide down the hill unloading a full burst while the one called Garrus was sniping heads off like a professional. That was until a giant beast appeared.

"Wait, that's not an Ogre..."

Readying her weapons, the beast raised it's arm in self-defense the bullets so direct fire seemed to not work. She thought for a moment before an idea popped into her head. She reached into her powers and pulled forth a Solar Vortex in which she threw it at the feet of the beast. When it landed, it expanded into a sphere at the point of impact, and flames danced all around it. These flames ignited the Beast and caused it to lower it's arm and panic around.

"It's distracted! If ya'll want to shoot it, do it now!"

@Soverign​

 

[Soverign]

Rifle at the ready Shepard watched the Brutish reaper solder start to panic or at the very least get distracted by the flames. Aiming he spoke even as he pulled the trigger "Open fire!" Garrus and Liara firing with him their combined fire made the beast falter. It took full clips from all three and was still standing. Injured for sure but still standing "The armor on that thing" The turian exclaimed as he readied his sniper once again. They fired yet again and this finally put the beast down. With its arm lowered its head and upper body were now painted with bullet holes. When the massive body of the reaper troop fell over the group slowly advanced in an arrowhead formation. Stopping at the body the turian marksman aimed the rifle at its head and blew what remained of it to bits "There, now it may stay dead" Liara looked at it doing a brief but quick study "Turian soldiers augmented to be this. Its horrible" Shepard however looked up the path to the comm tower "And more will become that if we don't get that com tower online. Lets move" He gave the unknown warrior with them a nod then turned up the path. Picking up the pace the small fireteam pushed up the curving path to the tower. Strangely other than the initial resistance there wasn't anything else.

It nagged at his mind but Shepard pushed forward. At the base of the main tower Shepard looked at Liara "You think you can fix this?" The asari walked closer accessing a console "Yes but i need to climb up the ladder. I will need you to keep them from getting up to me" Shepard gave a nod "Do it we have your back" As she made her way up Shepard approached the warrior "Its to quiet. I expect there to be reaper forces here any moment. Liara needs time to fix the tower and get it online" He said calmly. He checked his weapon and though it was a high stress environment he had fought in so many battles war just felt......familiar. He felt that familiar nagging that came with combat. In his gut he felt something not at ease. They were about to be busy again as the sure sounds of approaching husks could be heard over the battles in the distance.

 

[Raynar Saassin]

"(Hey, when should I reveal myself to these guys?)"
"(When it's actually safe. You know what happens if you get shot, right?)"
"(Sigh...)"

As they pushed forward towards the tower and Shepard commanded his blue skinned friend; Liara, to climb the tower and repair it, the group were now in contact with more Reaper Forces.

"These things are just like the Hive... Unending and annoying. Hey, Shepard!"

Vortex-25 exclaimed as she jumped up repeatedly towards a nearby cliff, pulling her out her Sniper Rifle and firing a shot towards an incoming Husk.

"I got you all covered up here! Go and kick some ass."

She finished as she went prone on the cliff and began sniping Reaper Forces alike; Husks and Marauders as she provided high-ground cover for Shepard and his crew.

@Soverign​